Freedom of Information Act 2000 Request

CPS policies regarding dealing with disabilities/emails/hate crimes/abuse

Request

Please provide your policies on

1. Dealing with people with disabilities
2. Dealing with emails
3. Dealing with hate crimes
4. Dealing with abuse

Response

You supplied details relating to previous correspondence with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) within the email chain containing your FoI request.

Based upon those details, we have interpreted point one of your request to be for CPS policies in relation to our engagement with members of the public with disabilities.

Our “CPS 2020 inclusion and community engagement strategy” is published on the CPS website. Our “Public consultation on Mental Health Conditions and Disorders: Draft Legal Guidance” has also been recently published on the CPS website.

As both documents are published they are withheld under section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) – information accessible by other means. Please see the attached section 17 refusal notice for a more detailed explanation of this exemption.

Under section 16 of the FoIA we have an obligation to advise what, if any information may assist you with your request. The publications can be accessed on the CPS website via the following links:

https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/cps-2020-inclusion-and-community-engagement-strategy The CPS has interpreted point two to refer to policies relating to our email communication with members of the public.

Policy guidance held within the scope of point two relates to Feedback and Complaints.

The CPS publishes its Feedback and Complaints Guidance on its website. The publication is therefore withheld under section 21 of the FoI Act. Our internal policy guidance regarding Feedback and Complaints is withheld under section 31 – law enforcement. Please see the attached section 17 notice for an explanation of this exemption.

Under section 16 of the FoIA advice and assistance, the CPS’ published Feedback and Complaints Guidance can be accessed via the following link. Information considered the most appropriate to point two, can be found on page 13.

https://www.cps.gov.uk/feedback-and-complaints

The CPS publishes operational information relating to “Hate Crime” which includes a leaflet titled “What is Hate Crime and what to do about it.”

This information, along with all other published information detailed below is withheld under section 21 of the FoIA. Under section 16 of the FoIA, for advice and assistance relevant links to the CPS website relating to the information described below are provided:

https://www.cps.gov.uk/hate-crime

The CPS publishes prosecution guidance and public statements regarding hate crimes, including “Disability Hate Crime.” The legal guidance on disability hate crime can be accessed via the following link:

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/disability-hate-crime-and-other-crimes-against-disabled-people-prosecution-guidance

The public statement relating to disability hate crime can be accessed on the CPS website via the following links:

Public statement on prosecuting disability hate crime and other crimes against disabled people

The CPS has interpreted point four to refer to our operational policies regarding alleged criminal activity involving abuse.

Prosecution Guidance relating to criminal offences, including those that involve forms of abuse can be found on our website. Under section 21 of the FoIA the guidance is withheld as it is accessible by other means. Under section 16 of the FoIA, advice and assistance, the guidance can be accessed via the following link:

https://www.cps.gov.uk/prosecution-guidance

Information Management Unit 020 3357 0788 IMU@cps.gov.uk